Living in an authentic home

The authentic home is your own home that reflects your personality and lifestyle. It not only functions, but also looks and feels good. If there is a room that is not being used, try to figure out why. If no one uses the family room because it feels uncomfortable, that’s not an authentic room.

Simple changes can transform a space. It’s all in the details. The right color, whether a new paint color on the wall or new accent pieces, can refresh a space. Sometimes all that is need is editing, de-cluttering, rearranging furniture and a few new decorative accessories, your home can be an authentic home.

Staging the occupied home

The way you live in a home is not the way to sell the house. Every house can benefit from staging before it hits the market. Life happens and things get messy daily.

Have you caught the ‘almost Spring fever’

The official day of spring is March 20 but as I write this on a warm day of 70’s in February, Yes It just snowed the other day. Yes the temperatures will drop again and we will get ice or snow. But getting this close and feeling this warm is close enough! I officially caught spring fever and so had the Spring Real Estate market.

Super Bowl Sunday

Are you ready for some football? I’m ready for the super commercials and halftime shenanigans. More than that, I’m anxiously waiting to watch the episode of ” This is Us” running after the game.

Hit the refresh button

Hibernating bears are onto something. The frigid cold snap had me nesting and staying home. When the temperatures soared to 35 degrees, it felt spring.

An occupied staging success story

How do you get the results you want? By coming up with a plan and implementing it. Wishing can work but magic happens when you set the intention with clarity by your actions. This can apply to anything but crucial when putting your home on the market.

The Stager (that’s me!)

Letting go of stuff

My last column on cleaning and de-cluttering inspired quite a few people to do just that, including myself. We need to walk the talk to get things done. Any movement forward even in small increments helps before you are forced into a situation with a deadline like moving.

Clean + De-clutter = SOLD!

September has always been the start of a new year for me. Unlike January and new year resolutions, the weather is more civilized so you can set goals and create action plans to get things done. I’m ready to get back into a routine that includes cleaning and editing.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness. A clean, organized home feels good and if your home is on the market, clean sells homes. Everyone has degrees of what is acceptable or even qualifies as clean. The reality is this: you may be able to tolerate your own unkempt home and let things go but no one can stand someone else’s uncleanliness. In fact, it is a big turn off.

Time to clear the energy of the house

After years of staging homes going on the market I decided it was time to work on my own house. For those of you who have remodeled while living in your house, you know the stress level is high.

The Patina of the Country Living Fair

Definition of Patina: A surface appearance of something grown beautiful especially with age or use. Or a green film formed naturally on copper and bronze by long exposure or artificially (as by acids) and often valued aesthetically for its color.

The 3-day Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck has become my annual trek. The fair is filled with antiques, vintage, flea market, rustic and handmade items. The pages of Country Living Magazine come to life beautifully.